Batch 104 of the Eco-Cha Tea Club is a competition grade Wenshan Baozhong, spring 2024 harvest. Check our sourcing blogpost for the background story of this batch of tea. Wenshan is the name of a district in the greater Taipei area in northern Taiwan, and Baozhong is the historical name of the tea type, which refers to the way it was wrapped in paper since the 19th century and up until the modern tea industry developed in the 1970's.
Wenshan Baozhong has a very distinct aromatic and flavor profile that results from the gentle yet thorough method by which the leaves are processed. The steps are basically the same recipe for Taiwanese high mountain tea processing, but there are significant variations therewithin. And finally, the leaves are only curled and not tightly rolled — which has the most pronounced difference.
The brewed tea is a clear, bright, limpid nectar that is balanced and full-flavored, with a smooth mouth feel. We suggest starting with a 1:20 leaf to water ratio for under 200mL teapot, and starting with 40-50 second brewing time. With curled leaf Baozhong, it's particularly important to not over brew, lest the more subtle and refined aromatic and flavor notes become muted.
The competition grade factor is visually evident in both the dried and the brewed leaf material. This batch appears to be relatively immature, young leaves. This is mostly due to the fact that the leaves have been carefully groomed of any excessive stem material as well as older leaves that have a relatively yellowish hue that are detected by an infrared scanner and mechanically sorted out. So this is the premium portion of the harvest only.
Watch the tasting video for the full story of how this tea was made and how it brews up a fine cup of tea!
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